Moldova's Moscow-backed separatist region of Transdniestria extended its state of emergency on Friday for another month as it grapples with an energy crisis after losing access to Russian gas supplies that had propped up its economy for decades.

Moldova would not object to Ukraine's proposal to help unrecognised Transnistria with its energy crisis in order to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the region. Source: Moldovan PM Dorin Recean in a commentary to European Pravda Details: Recean noted that Chișinău has not asked Ukraine to help Transnistria with energy resources but would not object to it.

The head of Moldova’s breakaway region Transnistria has urged residents to burn firewood for heating and warned that blackouts cannot be avoided, after Moscow stopped supplying gas via Ukraine.

Russia denies using gas as a weapon to coerce Moldova, and blames Kyiv for refusing to renew a gas-transit deal.

The end of Russian natural-gas transit across Ukraine is a blow to Moscow, but it could provide the Kremlin with sharpened tool for economic and political influence over a key target country: Moldova.

"Russia is revealing the inevitable outcome for all its allies — betrayal and isolation," Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Jan. 3.

Russia halted gas deliveries to the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova on January 1. People living there are now really feeling the cold.